1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of multimedia computer applications, and more particularly to improving the listening quality of an audio file accessed from a server.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet has opened worlds to millions of people and the fields for multi-faceted information and education thereon are enormous including new means of multi-media entertainment. People with access to the Internet via web browsers can now view videos and listen to songs directly from their personal computers. However, one problem with accessing audio files is that there are frequent gaps in the audio reception. The gaps are typically due to network traffic which may differ for each audio transmission and may even depend on the time of day.
Existing systems attempt to solve this problem by delaying transmission of the audio file and storing an initial portion of the incoming audio file data. By accessing the audio file from the cache while continually receiving the audio file data into the cache, it is hoped that the cache will not be depleted while the user is listening to the audio file. Depletion of the cache causes gaps or breaks in the transmission and the user can detect the xe2x80x9cskipsxe2x80x9d in the transmission.
It would be helpful to the user to modify the cache so that upon detecting the near depletion of data in the cache, the user may modify the cache thereby substantially reducing or eliminating the gaps in transmission. Existing systems fall short in providing superior sound quality when listening to an audio file accessed from the Internet or other server. Currently, existing systems do not allow the user to view the size of the cache, modify the cache size, provide different caches for different times of day depending on network traffic, or provide different caches for different sources of transmission.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means of listening to an audio file accessed via a server, e.g. the Internet, such that superior sound quality is achieved without significant gaps in transmission.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for modifying the cache size of an audio transmission accessed via a server.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for viewing the cache size during an audio transmission accessed via a server.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The above and other objects and advantages, which will be apparent to one of skill in the art, are achieved in the present invention which is directed to, in a first aspect, a method of facilitating an audio broadcast via the Internet, the audio broadcast being performed by transmitting information to a memory cache having a storage capacity in a user computer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) informing the user of the storage capacity; and (b) altering the storage capacity in accordance with an instruction from the user such that information corresponding to a complete audio broadcast is accommodated in the cache.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of receiving an audio file via a server by a user computer comprising the steps of: (a) allocating an estimated amount of cache for the audio file; (b) receiving the audio file; (c) adjusting the estimated amount of cache for the audio file to an actual amount of cache; and (d) processing the audio file without substantial breaks in the transmission of the audio file. Preferably, step (c) may comprise adjusting the estimated amount of cache for the audio file such that a rate of receiving the audio file data is substantially similar to a rate of processing the data. Step (c) may further include the step of decreasing or increasing the amount of cache when a rate of receiving the audio file data is lower than or greater than a rate of processing the data.
The method may further include the step of creating a cache size table, the cache size table comprising a uniform resource locator, the actual amount of cache, and a time range for each selected audio file. The estimated amount of cache for the audio file may be compared with the actual amount of cache in the cache size table. The estimated amount of cache for the audio file may be modified such that it is substantially equal to the actual amount of cache in the cache size table for the selected audio file. A cache viewer may be provided for viewing the estimated amount of cache for the audio file and an amount of the audio file data received.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of receiving an audio file via a server comprising the steps of: (a) providing a user computer linked to the server; (b) accessing an audio file on the server; (c) creating a cache size table comprising a uniform resource locator, a time range, and an actual amount of cache required, an entry corresponding to the audio file entered into the cache size table upon accessing the audio file; (d) allocating an amount of cache on a storage capacity of the user computer for the audio file; (e) processing the audio file; and (f) adjusting the amount of cache to an actual amount of cache such that a rate of accessing the audio file is substantially equal to a rate of processing the audio file to provide continuous transmission of the audio file to the user computer.
The method may further include the step of providing a cache viewer for viewing the amount of cache allocated in step (d) and the actual amount of cache being processed in step (e). Upon viewing the cache viewer, the amount of cache allocated in step (d) may be adjusted to be substantially equal to the actual amount of cache being processed.
In still yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of controlling cache size during receipt of an audio data file by a user computer from a server comprising the steps of: (a) predetermining an amount of cache needed for the audio data file; (b) creating a cache size table comprising entries for each audio data file accessed by the user computer; (c) receiving and processing the audio data file; and (d) modifying the amount of cache needed for the audio data file during step (c) such that a rate of receiving the audio data file is substantially equal to a rate of processing the audio data file. In step (b) multiple entries may be entered for a same data file having different time ranges dependent on a time of day. The method may further include the step of providing a cache viewer for viewing the amount of cache predetermined in step (a) and the actual amount of cache being received during step (c).
In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a cache size table for storing data received during an audio file transmission comprising a uniform resource locator; a cache size amount; and a time range.
In yet a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a method of receiving an audio file via a server, the method steps comprising: (a) allocating an estimated amount of cache for the audio file; (b) adjusting the estimated amount of cache to an actual amount of cache; and (c) transmitting the audio file through a speaker linked to the machine such that a user of the machine may listen to the audio file without substantial breaks in transmission.
In still yet a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a method of: (a) allocating an estimated amount of cache on a memory storage of the machine; (b) creating a cache size table comprising a uniform resource locator, a time range, and an actual amount of cache required to store the audio file, an entry corresponding to the audio file entered into the cache size table upon accessing the audio file; (c) adjusting the estimated amount of cache to the actual amount of cache such that a rate of accessing the audio file is substantially equal to a rate of processing the audio file; and (d) providing continuous transmission of the audio file to a user of the machine.
In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a method of receiving an audio file by a server, the method steps comprising: (a) providing a cache viewer on a screen linked to the machine; (b) allocating an estimated amount of cache for the audio file, the estimated amount of cache visible via the cache viewer; (c) creating a cache size table comprising a uniform resource locator, a time range and an actual amount of cache pertaining to the audio file; (d) displaying an actual amount of cache being received by the machine; (e) adjusting the estimated amount of cache to the actual amount of cache such that a rate of accessing the audio file is substantially equal to a rate of processing the audio file; and (f) providing substantially continuous transmission of the audio file to a user.
In still a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a web browser stored on a computer comprising a means for accessing an audio file, the audio file stored on a server linked to the computer; a means for reserving an estimated amount of cache storage for the audio file; a means for adjusting the estimated amount of cache storage to an actual amount of cache storage for the audio file such that the cache storage is not depleted when accessing the audio file; a means for viewing the cache storage prior to adjusting the cache storage; a means for creating a cache table comprising a uniform resource locator, a time range and an actual amount of cache storage pertaining to the audio file; a means for comparing an entry for the audio file previously entered into the cache table with the estimated amount of cache storage such that the estimated amount of cache storage may be adjusted to provide continuous transmission of the audio file; and a means for transmitting the audio file to a listener.
In a final aspect, the present invention is directed to a program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a method of controlling cache size during receipt of an audio data file, the method steps comprising: (a) allocating an estimated amount of cache for the audio data file; (b) creating a cache size table comprising entries for each audio data file accessed by the machine; and (c) modifying the estimated amount of cache to an actual amount of cache such that a rate of accessing the audio file data is substantially equal to a rate of receiving and processing the audio file data.